Suprématie

This album came during a time where speed metal bands were beginning to mature greatly in the late 80s prior to the ever-popular thrash explosion of 1988. This album shows how ADX transformed from a more mid-paced heavy metal band, as seen in their previous album, into the monster of a speed metal band now seen in Supremetie. The band utilizes the very popular style of single note harmonies (As seen within the first minute of most of the album’s songs) which is very reminiscent of the polish band Turbo’s infamous Kawaleria Szatana album and the very popular Blind Guardian Battalions of Fear.

I remember listening to this album on one of my nightly walks and remembering the surprise I received when the title track finally kicked into full gear; especially after the very strange introduction entitled “Nostromo.” It was more than a mere simple transitions as the title track kicked right into intense speed and energy which almost made me feel like I was listening to Screaming for Vengeance for the first time all over again. The wailing guitar solos made it apparent that this band meant business and as a result, the musicianship held up through its entirety.

The rest of the album took turns displaying mid paced, yet equally energetic, anthems seen in the songs “Notre Dame de Paris” and “Broceliende” which don’t stay mid-paced for very long. The instrumental “Les Secrets de Olympe” is a prime example of their technicality with the guitarists continuously moving around the fretboard in very technical thrash styles of playing reminiscent to something that might have come off Breaking The Silence.

While this album may become very heavy at times, it is able to maintain a speed metal feel rather than allowing the band to become encapsulated within the thrash genre. At times it feels like they push the boundaries a bit especially in the song “La Peur et Loubil” which has a driving intro and verse riff that transforms into a bridge that sounds like it could have been played on one of Heathen or Flotsam’s first albums. The majority of the album, however, remains a prime example of heavy speed metal reminiscent of the technicality of Toxik and the energy of an early power metal band still trapped in the 80s. As a result, ADX provides the listener with energetic speed metal that shows that they definitely took great care in creating this album.